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Scale-Master app for iPhone and iPad


4.8 ( 7488 ratings )
Music Education
Developer: Gil Estes
1.99 USD
Current version: 1.81, last update: 6 years ago
First release : 20 Feb 2012
App size: 12.63 Mb

Scales are central to music. Intervals are central to scales. Tuning intervals is a complex process that must constantly be refined by the musician.

Scale Master was designed by professional musicians and educators and developed by experienced software consultants and is a tool providing transparency to intonation deficiencies so that tuning is faster and more accurate.

Through the use of "droning" sounds across various intervals, Scale Master provides a means of practicing intonation.

Who can use Scale-Master?

- Musicians (Professional and Amateur) striving to further perfect their tuning ability
- Student Musicians just starting to come to grips with the challenges of Just Intonation within the ensemble
- Band, Orchestra and Choral Directors looking for a way to help their ensembles "HEAR" what "In Tune" is
- Music Theory, Music Appreciation and General Music teachers wanting to demonstrate scales, intervals, patterns and intonation

How it works:

Using Equal Tempered tuning, select a root pitch and octave, then select the scale interval above the root pitch and select "Play". The generated droning sound will be a real-time interval based on Just Intonation producing the greatest resonance.

There are a total of 780 droning renderings available for the first release.

Beyond simple drones, you can also select a scale mode to display. The corresponding intervals will be high-lighted allowing easy, visual recognition of scale patterns. Scales included are:

- Chromatic
- Major
- Natural Minor
- Harmonic Minor
- Blues
- Whole Tone
- Major Pentatonic
- Minor Pentatonic

There is also a scale "Auto-Play" function that will play the droning root and the corresponding scale interval in half notes at quarter=60bpm allowing the musician to work with tuning and harmonizing in real-time.

There are a total of 420 scale configurations available for the first release.

What Others are Saying:

"I think your app will be widely useful, better and more convenient than the typical tuner. It also will be a good companion tool for users of my Breakfast Intonation practice booklet."
David Schwartz

"This new app looks wonderful to me, Gil!! A great teaching tool not only for trombonists but also for music theory and many more applications for musicians. Great idea!!"
Tom Senff - Trombone Professor and Trombonist with Stan Kenton Orchestra

"WOW! I like this a great deal. I teach AP Music theory. I think this would be tremendously helpful with drilling intervals."
Rob Optiz - High School Band Director

"When my students use this, they seem to adjust automatically in the correct direction."
Private Trombone Instructor